# What are your plans for Saturday, the 4th of July (United Statesians only, for the most part, sorta) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547 "2026-06-01T19:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/1 "2026-06-01T19:42:00Z")
We plan on heading over to my sister-in-law’s place for the day with a bagful of all beef quarter pound doggies and Johnsonville pork grillers, a cooler containing cold brews of various varieties, and a few games. We’ll stay until all the televised fireworks are finished then head home…eventually. You? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/2 "2026-06-01T20:13:41Z")
Haven’t been to Yellowstone in decades. Plan to drive out last week of June. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/3 "2026-06-01T20:21:19Z")
Tucked up at home, hoping I don’t get get an alert on my phone to grab a go-bag and flee a wildfire started by some bonehead shooting off fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/4 "2026-06-01T20:37:00Z")
On July 3, the Friday night before, the seasonal night job where I work ([haunted house attraction](https://hellharvest.com/)) is having an off-season party and BBQ for the employees. Thanks to Missouri’s gloriously freewheeling fireworks laws, there will be a shit ton of fireworks. The hosts already planned to include them, and then half of the employees (myself included) have asked if we can bring some. I plan to hit [Molly Brown’s](https://www.mollybrownsfireworks.com/) and spend at least a couple hundred (they langniappe you a 500-gram finale cake if you spend $200). I imagine it’s going to be fucking epic (as backyard fireworks go). As an added bonus, it’s taking place right across the street from a lumberyard, so we can add a fair amount of butthole-puckering to the fun. Oh, and as an afterthought: hot dogs and burgers and shit. And beer. Lots of beer. And weed. Lots of that too (Missouri’s gloriously freewheeling pot laws, doncha know). For Saturday, July 4, I’ll almost certainly spend the day as I would any other Saturday: laundry, household chores, World of Warcraft. In the evening I’ll probably watch the World Cup games, particularly if the USA is in one of … OK sorry, I had to stop myself from laughing. You get my point. My little tiny town always puts on a disappointing and low-rent municipal fireworks show. I imagine I’ll just stay home and not pay any attention at all. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/5 "2026-06-01T22:07:06Z")
I’m sure we’ll grill something. Son-of-a-wrek will pick up sparklers for the kiddies. But really I am too depressed about the way of things now to really celebrate our 250th. I would’ve loved to be proud and happy to be American…so much. Alas…cannot make myself. At the moment. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/6 "2026-06-01T22:17:44Z")
The suburb where I live has a parade on the 4th, which we usually attend with some friends. Other than that, no plans right now. I might see if I can stream the movie version of the musical _1776_, which I remember seeing as a kid around the Bicentennial. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/7 "2026-06-01T22:23:54Z")
It’s the 2nd day of our club’s annual 4th of July regatta, so there should be 4 races that afternoon. When it starts getting close to sunset, the dog and I will retreat to the bedroom and put the TV on at double volume. We both hate fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/8 "2026-06-01T22:40:48Z")
Probably have some home-cooked burgers, watch TV until it starts getting dark, then do some very minor fireworks (like Pop-Its, sparklers, snakes, that sort of thing). It’s illegal to do much more than that here in town. But it’s enough to make my daughter happy at least. Oh, and probably get bit to crap by mosquitos again, which is my annual Independence Day tradition. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/9 "2026-06-01T22:46:26Z")
No special plans. Just hang around The Home and watch the Old People. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/10 "2026-06-01T23:00:16Z")
Most of the day will probably be a normal Saturday – sleep, read, compute, feed the cats, eat breakfast, lunch and supper, &c. The parade will pass less than a block from our house, but I probably won’t walk down to the corner. My kids lost interest in fireworks displays when they were 15 and 13, so it’s been over fifteen years since we went to watch one (though they can be visible from our back windows). And I’ll spend a good chunk of the evening saying nasty things about the neighbours, who will have done their shopping at WalMart, Target, BJ’s, and other stores with big displays of fireworks for sale. From an official [ct.gov](http://ct.gov) page: > [@](#): > > Fireworks are not allowed by law in Connecticut for use by non-professional, non-licensed users. Sparklers and fountains, which technically are not considered fireworks, may be sold, but may not legally be sold to, or used by persons younger than 16. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/11 "2026-06-01T23:25:10Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s illegal to do much more than that here in town. Heh. It’s Anything Goes in my town. My street will look and sound like a war zone. There will be a thick layer of smoke hovering above the ground. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/12 "2026-06-01T23:27:25Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Heh. It’s Anything Goes in my town. My street will look and sound like a war zone. There will be a thick layer of smoke hoving above the ground. That’s what it was like where I grew up and I loved it too. I’d probably blow things up a lot if it was legal around here. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/13 "2026-06-01T23:28:09Z")
The Fourth’s a Saturday this year? I’ll be selling at farmers’ market, and hoping that we’ve managed to inform enough customers that we’re open; if we have, it’ll probably be busy. Whether I’ll have enough energy afterwards to do anything I don’t know. I can hear lots of fireworks, and see some of them, from my place. Some of them are undoubtedly illegal; it must be one of the least enforced laws in the county. Luckily, none of my creatures freak out about fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2026, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/14 "2026-06-01T23:31:17Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > none of my creatures freak out about fireworks. Neither do mine. They (three cats) don’t seem to notice it at all. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/15 "2026-06-02T00:13:16Z")
Make sure that your farmers market is open that Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/16 "2026-06-02T01:04:42Z")
Possibly fly to Asia on the 4th, if ticket prices are cheaper that day. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/17 "2026-06-02T01:13:25Z")
On July 3, we’re going to an Independence Day potluck party in a little park at a high enough elevation on a flank of Mauna Kea that it’s likely to be pleasantly cool. So we will probably just slouch around doing nothing and eating leftovers on the actual 4th. Unless we get another party invite, which is fairly likely as friends with a good view of town fireworks usually invite us over. On the other hand, Hawai’i has really been cracking down on fireworks (including government-sponsored displays) since that awful accident on New Years Eve 2024, so there may not enough of a show to warrant a get-together. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/18 "2026-06-02T01:22:57Z")
Not a clue. For one thing as a multi-decade shift worker who had unorthodox days off, I’m not used to celebrating or even paying much attention to most holidays. If some of the local family or friends want to do something, I’ll likely accommodate. But I doubt anybody will be proactive about anything - we’re not a big flag-waving crowd and nobody has young kids anymore to entertain with fireworks. I suppose if it’s a clear night I might take a few firework photos (I’m directly across from a big annual 4th extravaganza on the water). But I’ll likely avoid the parks and roads, because holiday. For the second thing…it’s a month away! I don’t plan things a month out, that would be crazy 😀. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/19 "2026-06-02T01:25:17Z")
1. Making sure I’m not attending any of the Freedumb 250 events (btw, not many people know dumb has a D) 2. For real, that’s typically the first weekend to hit some of the mountains around here. With the low snowpack I’m sure they are accessible earlier this year, but we are going backpacking. We used to do this every year because we had a dog that hated thunder/fireworks, but now it is a tradition (our current bird dog doesn’t care). ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547/20 "2026-06-02T01:26:38Z")
Depends on the weather. Probably hike before the day gets too hot. Then go to a baseball game in the evening, followed by fireworks courtesy of the team. In between–well, probably not much. Maybe go over to my daughter’s and play with my grandson, who knows? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-plans-for-saturday-the-4th-of-july-united-statesians-only-for-the-most-part-sorta/1030547.md?page=2)